The Chronicles of Sir William
Ch 5
Between the Lies
EXT. THE OWL HOUSE - NIGHT
We close in on the front door of the mysterious Owl House.
Gently snoozing, Hooty jolts awake as the camera
encroaches.
HOOTY
Come one, come all!
He stretches his head to fill the doorway. Out of his
cavernous maw, a roll of red carpet comes tumbling out and
unfurls itself for what seems like miles.
It finally reaches its length at the feet of Luz's friends,
all amazed at the theatrical welcome.
GUS
Aw, cool!
WILLOW
Nifty!
AMITY
(uneasy)
But...kinda gross too...
Gus, Willow, and Amity eagerly pace up along the carpet,
admitted into the house by King who dons a little usher
outfit. They are followed by Lilith, having arrived on her
staff.
INT. LIVING ROOM
The Owl House's living room is adorned like a movie theater
with satin curtains, velvet rope queues, and additional
seating into which King dutifully guides his guests.
Eda walks in from the kitchen, bearing a tray lined with
snacks and drinks. Luz descends the stairs with the echo-
mouse's enclosure under her arm.
LUZ
Hey guys! Glad you could make it!
GUS
Wouldn't miss it for the world!
Luz sets the mouse cage down on the coffee table and takes
her seat in the middle of the couch, next to Eda. Amity is
quick to take the other empty spot by her side when she sees Sir
William enter the room.
Luz gives the echo mouse a playful head pat before rising
to her feet and addressing her audience.
LUZ
Alright, everyone. Before we start,
I just have something to say.
They all lean in close, listening intently.
LUZ (cont'd)
This is a big night for me, for a
lot of reasons. The contents of this
journal might be the final piece of
the puzzle. After tonight, I might
be able to build a working portal
door.
They all cheer and applaud.
LUZ (cont'd)
Which is a big deal because I might
finally, be able to return home...
(emotional)
...but I don't want you to think my
excitement comes from wanting to
leave you...
EDA
Aw, come on Luz. You know we aren't
sore over that.
WILLOW
Yeah. We know you miss your mom.
GUS
And besides, it's not like you can't
come back to see us every now and
then, right?
LUZ
Well, it's not how I'd get back to
you. It'd be convincing my mom to
let me come back.
(unsure)
It has gotten dangerous here. The
Boiling Isles can be a scary place
sometimes.
(dauntless)
But I know for certain she'd love
the people I've met here. Thank you
all, for everything you've done for
me. I can't wait to introduce you to
Camilla Noceda!
Again, more cheers, applause, and wiping away tears.
LUZ (cont'd)
Alright! Let's get this show on the
road!
She kneels down and gives the echo mouse an affectionate
scratch behind the ears. Cooing with pleasure, the little
creature parts its muzzle and projects a beam of light from
its mouth.
The far wall is lit with a lanterna magica style
projection.
PHILIP (O.S.)
By my best reckoning, I believe the
current human year is 1860...or is
it '70? The years are flashing by,
but it will be worth it. I've
gathered all the ingredients,
including Titan's Blood. All that's
left is to seek out a figure folk
hereabouts call "The Observer".
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. THE KNEE - DAY
The style switches back and we see Philip Wittebane scaling
the Knee Mountain, his beard whipped by the frigid he comes upon the dilapidated remains of what appears
to be an old observatory. He marches up to the front door and is greeted by a living
brass door knocker.
HOOTY
Bonjour!
INT. LIVING ROOM
EVERYONE
HOOTY?!
Hooty snakes forward, just as surprised as everyone else.
HOOTY
What?! I don't remember any of this
EXT. OBSERVATORY
HOOTY
Who might you be, mysterious
visitor?
PHILIP
I am Philip Wittebane, here to see
The Observer.
HOOTY
Sorry. The Observer doesn't like
unannounced guests.
Hooty snakes back into the door and shuts his eyes, ending
the conversation.
PHILIP
(flummoxed)
And just how was I supposed to
announce myself? She lives alone on
a deserted mountaintop.
HOOTY
Goodbye-ee!
Hooty keeps his eyes closed. Losing patience, Philip pounds
on the door.
HOOTY (cont'd)
Who's there?
PHILIP
It's still me.
HOOTY
"Still me", who?
PHILIP
I will not be deterred!
HOOTY
He-he. You are "de turd"!
PHILIP
Urgh! Listen, you insufferable
filigree! Can I speak to The
Observer or not?!
HOOTY
Fine! Sheesh!
The door opens with an ominous creak, letting out a howling
draft.
HOOTY (cont'd)
But don't say I didn't warn
yooooouuuu!
He cautiously enters the gloomy building, dust and cobwebs
infesting every corner. He flinches at the sound of fluttering moths and bats.
Shiftily scanning his environs, his dread grows by the
second. Suddenly a pale, clammy hand appears out of the
shadows and seizes him by the shoulder.
Gasping in panic, Philip turns to see a towering figure
shrouded in a cloak patterned with stars. Instead of a
face, the only thing visible through the darkness beneath
her hood is a glowing crescent moon shape.
Philip backs away, tripping and stumbling backward on the
hard stone floor. The figure closes in, leaning over him,
reaching out. Philip winces but slowly opens his eyes to
see her expectantly holding a broom up to his face. He eyes
the figure quizzically.
She extends her other hand out toward the filthy corners of
the house, seeming to indicate she wants a thorough
cleaning. She thrusts the broom into his palm and leaves him
to work. Confused, but grateful to be unharmed, Philip
starts feverishly sweeping.
LATER
The Observer sits in a (mountainously) high-backed lounge
chair by a roaring fire, admiring her newly cleaned living
room. She beckons Philip to pour over a grimoire with her,
laid open on her knee.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
For a bit of menial labor, the
Observer was willing to share with
me the formulae I sought...
The pages of the book are cluttered with all sorts of
mathematical formulae and astronomical charts. The ink
symbols and numbers begin to glow with blue light, flying
off the pages and dancing in a vortex around an awed
Philip.
INT. THE OWL HOUSE, LIVING ROOM
Luz scrambles for her phone, hurriedly snapping pictures of
the formulae copied into Philip's Journal. Having captured
a clear photo of them, she pumps her fist in excitement
LUZ
Yes!
Eda clasps her shoulder and continues watching.
INT. OBSERVATORY, WORKSHOP - DAY
Philip is hard at work chiseling the portal door. After a
time-lapse, he wipes the sweat from his brow, finally
finished. The door swings open, bathing him in a radiant
glow.
PHILIP (V.O.)
Entry Sixty-Two: May Twenty-Seven.
I've finally done it.
With a weary sigh, Philip steps through the door, emerging
in:
EXT. NEW ENGLAND FOREST - NIGHT
Philip emerges on a forest hilltop overlooking the sea. He
lets the cool breezes flow over his face, blissfully taking
in the starry sky and gentle chirp of the crickets.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
I'm...home...
Despite his initial look of rapture, Philip still looks
unfulfilled.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
But it didn't quite feel that way...
I remember what led me to the Demon
Realms to begin with.
BEGIN
FLASHBACK:
INT. MISKATONIC UNIVERSITY LECTURE HALL - DAY
Philip stands before an audience of professors, his
chalkboard scrawled with pictures of mythical beasts and
such taglines as ON THE ORIGIN OF ANIMALES SUPERNATURALES.
His lecture table is littered with unusual specimens,
skulls of fantastical creatures and other baubles of fringe
science.
His listeners don't look convinced by his theories.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
I fancied myself a great naturalist
in the vein of Charles Darwin, only
greater. I resolved to assign a
rational origin to the species that
dwelt in myth and folklore.
His lecture ends with the professors either storming out in
a huff or falling over the banisters laughing. Philip
leaves the university in disgrace.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
But my theories fell on deaf ears.
For years after I sought proof.
EXT. NEW ENGLAND COUNTRYSIDE - DAY
Philip searches through the ruins of an old building. The
architecture looks foreign to Earth, much less to New
England. Suddenly, the ground gives way beneath his feet
and he falls into an underground lake. Its waters glow blue
with magic.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
I suppose now I have that and more...
END FLASHBACK:
Philip continues sitting on the hilltop, mulling over his
past while fidgeting with blades of grass.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
I could vindicate myself a hundred
times over with just a shred of what
I'd found in the Boiling Isles...But
who would I be proving myself to?
The small-minded fools who so
casually dismissed me?
Embittered, he furrows his brow, ripping clods of grass from
the ground.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
And besides, what would they do with
such a revelation? They might only
spoil this world with their greed
and malcontent.
He imagines Bonesburg being turned into a factory town, the
red sky choked with plumes of smoke.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
They say living well is the best
revenge, so that is what I shall do.
Philip smiles mischievously to himself and rises to his
feet. He then marches back through the portal without so
much as a glance behind his shoulder.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
Let them live in ignorance of the
wonders I have discovered. I have
chosen to stay...
INTERMISSION:
INT. THE OWL HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
The audience takes a brief break for refreshments and gathers
around the coffee table for punch. Luz looks wistfully into
her chalice.
LUZ
Oh, Philip. I know how you feel.
EDA
Was this really what it felt like
for you, coming to our world?
LUZ
Yeah, kinda...It's why I'm so
nervous about going back home. Of
course, I want to see my mom again,
but...there's not much else I have
there that I don't have here.
EDA
Aww.
Eda playfully squeezes her shoulder.
LUZ
I guess it's reassuring seeing how
much we have in common...
WILLIAM
I wouldn't go so far as that, Luz...
Sir William looks troubled.
WILLIAM (cont'd)
I thought I knew Master Philip. He
seemed so wise and self-assured when
he taught me...There's just
something...off about him now.
LILITH
I've been getting that impression
too. There's something familiar
about him to me, but I can't place
it...
KING
And what about you, Hooty? You were there to witness this and never said anything?
HOOTY
Hey, gimme a break! This was, what, a hundred and fifty years ago? I barely remember anything before Eda found me here in the woods.
And you grew up thinking you were the "King of all Demons", so cut me some slack!
KING
Okay, okay. You made your point...
GUS
Well, let's look on the bright side. I
think we can call the night a
success! You've got everything you
need to make the portal now.
LUZ
Yeah, but I think I still want to
watch the rest. I want to know if
Philip stuck with his decision.
(pensive)
It might help me make mine...
They all crowd back into their seats and continue watching
as the echo mouse resumes its projections.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. BONESBURG STREETS - DAY
Philip gives a public lecture on Darwin's theory of
evolution to a curious if a bit bored crowd.
PHILIP (V.O.)
Entry Sixty-Three. June Twelfth. My
new life in the Boiling Isles is off
to a bit of a rocky start. These
"witchlings" are a bit backward,
but at least they listen...
The crowd grows and shrinks as the day goes by, most of his
spectators quickly losing interest and moving on.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
...some of the time. I suppose we're
really not so different.
Dispirited, Philip gazes at his chalkboard, the drawings
coming alive in his imagination to illustrate his theories.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
After all, they're too similar to
humans to not have shared some
common ancestry. Perhaps a small
population of us got stranded in the
Boiling Isles like I did and evolved
to use magic over time.
Philip looks longingly out on the bustling crowd.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
Such wondrous adaptations, these
bile-sacks. If only I could cheat
the eons of natural selection and
obtain one for myself. Perhaps these
people might accept me as one of
their own.
(pondering)
But of course, in a world of magic,
why should such a thing not be
possible?
EXT. OBSERVATORY - NIGHT
Philip raps on the door outside the Observatory, shivering
in the cold. After a moment the door swings open, emitting
a warm light. Philip begins explaining himself to the
Observer.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
There was only one witch who could
help me find a way...
The Observer ponders for a moment, finally thrusting
another broom in his hand as a sign of her assent.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
Though she made it clear that for
this favor, I'd be working for her
on the regular...
Philip gives her a forced smile and follows her in.
INT. THE OWL HOUSE, LIVING ROOM
Luz nudges Eda in the arm, raising her eyebrows.
LUZ
Eh? Eh?
Eda snorts with amusement and messes Luz's hair.
INT. OBSERVATORY - DAY
This time, she has Philip hard at work fixing a large
telescope in oil-stained work rags. He manages to replace
the telescope's lens with a new one. It looks like a yellow
eye with a cat-like vertical pupil.
PHILIP (V.O.)
During the day I toiled...
Over the course of the day he also replaces and lubricates
the gears of the observatory dome, making it functional
once more.
INT. ALCHEMY LAB - NIGHT
Philip and the observer experiment at a table piled high
with flasks and alembics. Ghoulish-looking specimens
pickled in alcohol surround them.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
And at night, we experimented.
A time-lapse follows days of dissecting animal corpses,
brewing potions, scrawling formulae on the chalkboard, and
writing spells on vellum. Towards the end, Philip plucks a
flask filled with glowing blue liquid from a fogging
cauldron.
He pauses, gazing at it longingly.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
Finally, it seemed our labors bore
fruit. A mutagen made from Titan's
Blood. All there was left was to
test it...
Philip unfurls a scroll and begins reading an incantation.
The Observer looks on, her expression unreadable without a
face.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
My mentor warned me of the dangers,
but I was the only possible
candidate...No one said discovery
was without sacrifice.
He finishes reciting and takes a long, deep swig from the
flask. Almost instantly he winces and doubles over, letting
the flask drop from his hand and smash on the ground.
FADE TO BLACK:
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
Entry Sixty-Four. I have done
something very foolish.
INT. OBSERVATORY, BEDROOM - NIGHT
Philip's chamber door creaks open, illuminating the room.
He convalesces, in loose terms, in his bed. He sweats
profusely, his veins running black as if with ichor. The
Observer enters and begins tending to him.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
The pain is unbearable. I can barely
summon the strength to write this.
It seems I am now afflicted with a
terrible curse.
The Observer takes a flask of golden liquid and pours it
into Philips's mouth. His pain seems to ease for a moment,
allowing him to drift off to sleep.
INT. OBSERVATORY, GALLERY - NIGHT
A haggard Philip, wrapped in his bed sheets, doggedly
staggers through the halls of the observatory.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
Entry Sixty-Five. With the help of
the potions, the pain has subsided
somewhat. While attempting a
constitutional, I discovered that
the experiment was not the total
disaster I thought it was...
Philip's pupils begin to glow a faint blue. He takes notice
in the reflection of the gallery windows. As he moves
closer to inspect them, something outside catches his eye.
He sees small glowing sigils in the snowflakes falling
outside the window.
EXT. OBSERVATORY - EARLY MORNING
Philip bursts out into the snow, reveling at the sight of
the tiny twinkling symbols in the dark. Staggering around
the wilderness, he comes upon a small campfire and sees
similar glyphs wafting up through the smoke.
Wandering further, he treads on a pine cone, examining it
to find more tiny glyphs. Finally, as he crests a snowy
hilltop, he sees the first rays of the dawn with a glowing
glyph emblazoned in the center of the sun.
Squinting to see, he withdraws his journal and attempts to
transcribe the symbol. To his surprise, the page crumples
into a ball and emits a pale glow, rising into the morning
air.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
Imbibing the Titan's blood has given
me clairvoyance into the fundamental
elements of magic.
INT. OBSERVATORY, GREAT ROOM - NIGHT
Philip practices drawing his glyphs by the light of the
fire and the swarm of glowing orbs with which he's filled
the air. But as he finishes a plant glyph, he winces in
pain, clutching his chest.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
But the curse is still ever present.
It desires to feed on magic, the one
thing I still do not naturally
possess.
He hurriedly imbibes more potion, but it only seems to
grant partial relief.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
The potions only provide so much
relief, and less with each passing
year.
EXT. STREETS OF BONESBURG - NIGHT
Philip climbs from the window of a townhouse, having
burgled a palisman.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
At times I have even resorted to
thievery to sate the curse's hunger.
He splits the palisman apart and inhales its magical
vapors. He finds much sweeter relief in its glow but keeps
to the shadows to avoid being spotted by the city watch.
Having dodged a patrol in the sewers, Philip sulks with his
guilt.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
There has to be a better way...
EXT. STREETS OF BONESBURG - DAY
Philip once again entreats a crowd of onlookers, this time
not with lectures, but sermons. He is garbed in a gray,
rough-spun cloak and carries a staff with what appears to
be a laden jar affixed to its top.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
Entry Sixty-Six. I thought I might
try convincing them to part with
their magic willingly.
Despite so many witchlings having
the potential for magic, few ever
pursue it from superstitious fear.
Styling myself as an "Emissary of
the Titan", I convince them to
exercise their birthright.
Philip takes some volunteers from the crowd and shows them
how to draw the pictoglyphs on little slate boards. They
marvel at their newfound abilities, eagerly demonstrating
them for the astonished crowd.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
(amused)
Works better than my lectures at any
rate...
EXT. FOREST, THE SKULL - DAY
Philip gathers a small group of his initiates to a magic
circle drawn on the forest floor. Through an opening in the
boughs, they see the moon about to eclipse the sun.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
But I tell them that in return for
the Titan's wisdom, he expects a
tithe of magic to be sacrificed
every year on an astrological event
known as the "Day of Unity"...
His followers gather in a circle and raise their arms
towards the sky.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
From the Observer's stellar records
I learned that on this day, the veil
between the Demon Realms and the
Human World grows thin from the
friction of these heavenly bodies.
During this time, some of the magic
so profuse in this world flows out
to occupy the void in the other.
The disciples each take knives and make small gashes in the
bases of their wrists. Rivulets of blood begin flowing down
their arms. Before so much as a drop touches the ground,
their blood begins glowing gold and starts floating up into
the sky in long inky ribbons.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
I can take advantage of this
differential to collect some of that
magic for myself.
Philip raises his staff, collecting some of the flowing
ribbons of magic in the glass sphere on his staff.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
I can gather enough both to sate the
curse and to use for my own
purposes.
Philip marvels at the glowing energy caught in his staff,
while his adherents are still mystified by the solar
eclipse.
LATER
The congregation disperses, Philip watching them leave with
satisfaction twinged with guilt.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
I don't like lying to them...but
it's not altogether a lie, is it? It
was drinking the Titan's blood that
led me to the knowledge of magic I
shared with them.
It's thanks to the risk I took that
they were able to learn magic at
all. So, it's not too much to ask
for a small toll in return...
Philips' look of contrition fades and he follows his
disciples out of the clearing with a serene, self-satisfied
expression.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
(smug)
Perhaps, in a lyrical sense, I do
speak for the Titan...
SMASH CUT TO:
INT. THE OWL HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
WILLIAM
THAT ARROGANT SNIPE!
In a rage, Sir William slams his fist down on the coffee
table, scaring the echo mouse and halting the playback. He
shoots to his feet and paces across the room, fuming.
WILLIAM (cont'd)
All along I had learned from a
charlatan! Was he planning to leech
off me as well?!
Luz dives across the table to shelter the shivering echo-
mouse, gently petting and soothing it.
LUZ
Hey! Calm down!
(defensive)
I know it looks bad, but we weren't
there!
LILITH
(grave)
Luz, this all starting to feel
hauntingly familiar.
EDA
Yeah. You don't see who this guy is
starting to remind you of?
LUZ
What are you saying?! That Philip
Wittebane is...-No! That can't be
right!
KING
They seem like two-of-a-kind to me.
LUZ
Well, maybe Belos was one of
Philip's disciples who went renegade
or something!
LILITH
But, Luz. What about the curse?
Belos suffers from a very similar
ailment that-
LUZ
Well, maybe he got that from Philip
too. You got your curse by sharing
Eda's.
(frustrated)
*groan* Let's just wait and see!
She once again coos for the mouse, stroking its skeletal
head.
LUZ (cont'd)
Come on, little echo mouse. Don't
stop now. I have to know the truth!
Reluctantly, the little rodent hops back onto the coffee
table and resumes projecting from its maw.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. WINTER FOREST - DAY
Philip leads a large procession of disciples to the ritual
site, unaware of an ambush looming in the trees.
PHILIP (V.O.)
Entry Sixty-Seven. Some time has
passed since my last entry, but
things have been going well. My
initially small movement has grown
sevenfold.
But so too along with it has the
curse's hunger...
The demon bandit captain gives his fellows the signal and
they launch their attack. The forest erupts into chaos as
Philip's disciples fend off the attackers. Philip joins
them, spry for his age, deftly repelling the bandits at
every turn.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
And yet, I have not felt the effects
of my advancing age. I feel as
strong as ever...stronger even...
He gets cocky and fails to notice the bandit captain
sneaking up behind him. The bandit takes a swipe with his
sword. Philip's disciples turn and look with horror at their
master's severed head buried in the snow.
The bandit captain cackles with glee but is equally
horrified to see Philip's headless body continuing to fight
back. With a powerful blast wave from Philip's staff, the
rest of the bandits are sent fleeing back into the forest.
With peace restored, Philip's body begins searching for its
head.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
And even when I am horrifically
wounded or dismembered, I can simply
mold myself back into shape like a
clay doll.
Philip's body finds his head and plucks it from the snow, a
black ooze leaking from the bottom. Philip then fastens it
back on, smoothing the seams like modeling clay. Some of
his disciples look nauseous at the sight.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
It's like the curse has a mind of
it's own. It doesn't want me to die,
only to keep living on to feed it
more magic...
Philip resumes leading his disciples, pausing briefly,
wincing in pain.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
But it doesn't hesitate to remind me
the price of keeping it waiting.
EXT. BONESBURG - DAY
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
Entry Sixty-Eight. Once again, I
have been a fool. Disaster has
befallen us.
The town is in chaos. Witches fight in the streets like a
shoot-out in the wild-west.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
Some ingrates have fled our ranks
and now abuse my teachings, using
their magic to settle scores or
profit themselves.
The town's constables struggle to contain the bedlam,
having to call in soldiers and knights to quell the riots.
EXT. RITUAL SIGHT, THE SKULL - NIGHT
Philip holds council with his disciples, taking a stern,
almost scathing tone.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
I have had to take a firmer hand
with my disciples. Further, I have
decided to revise our doctrine...
Philip holds his staff aloft, creating images of magic
separated into nine bright hues.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
From now on, our practitioners will
be divided into nine covens, each
centered around a brand of magic
dedicated to a specific purpose.
Several of Philip's more trusted disciples march around the
congregation with branding gloves.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
They will each be branded with a
mark that will seal away any magic
that lies outside their coven. What
they do not use will now comprise
their tithe to the Titan on the Day
of Unity.
The only exceptions will be for
those few who can be trusted with
the power, the High Coven.
The members of Philip's inner circle are each given more officious-looking
garments and masks. Philip himself dons one that vaguely
resembles a bird, or perhaps a weevil.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
This way, no witch is an island. We
will all be forced to work together
for the common good.
Those who do not submit are branded
"wild witches" and are severely
punished.
Those among the disciples who refuse the brand are carried
away by High Coven enforcers, dragged further into the
woods to a non-descript fate. Philip's followers look at
him with a newfound sense of fear and awe.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
Perhaps it should have always been
this way...
EXT. BONESBURG, TOWN SQUARE - DAY
The bailiff of Bonesburg stands before a gathering of the
citizenry, reading a list of charges from a scroll. Philip,
disguised by his mask, watches from among the crowd.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
Despite these changes, the damage
has been done. The current king of
Ossigard, already leery of our
movement, has now declared us
anathema.
Our ranks shrink by the day. New
converts are harder to come by. This
could be the end of us...
Over time, the crowd slowly depopulates, leaving Philip
standing alone. He once again doubles over in pain, his
curse exacerbating. His eyes glow blue with rage.
PHILIP (V.O.) (cont'd)
It seems that conflict will be
inevitable. A regime change will
soon be in order...
We zoom past the spires of Philip's ever-growing empire.
BELOS (V.O.)
Entry Sixty-Eight. I do not know the
year. Again, much time has passed,
but we were successful in our
uprising.
Philip's voice has noticeably deepened since the last entry,
more waspish and raspy.
BELOS (V.O.) (cont'd)
(grandiose)
Ossigard has fallen before me, and a
new Empire has arisen in its ashes.
It's more beautiful than I could have
ever dreamed.
My followers are legion. My holds
are many. I am worshiped as an
Emperor-as a god!
We reach the inner sanctum of the castle, with Philip in
resplendent regalia, leaning over a lectern as he writes.
BELOS (V.O.) (cont'd)
Yet, the curse still gnaws at me,
demanding more and more magic. I am
once again forced to draw power from
palisman to sate it until the next
Day of Unity can arrive...
(troubled)
But I know one day it will not be
enough...One day soon, it's hunger
will outstrip all the magic the
people of the Isles can possibly
provide...
(desperate)
But I cannot stop now. The people
need me. They look up to me. Where
would they be without me?
Philip is gripped by excruciating pain, black ooze leaking
from his face and armor. As his pain grows so does his
rage.
BELOS (V.O.) (cont'd)
Nothing but savages trapped in the
dark ages! Lost to their ignorance!
His form grows ever more monstrous as his rage is stoked
higher. Luz watches the scene with growing horror.
LUZ
(disbelieving)
No...!
BELOS
I am their light in the darkness!
LUZ
No...! No!
BELOS
I am the sole spot of beauty in this
hideous world!
LUZ
(tears streaming)
NO!
BELOS
I am BELOS!
Philip's monstrous transformation is complete. His roars
echo through his castle, its mechanical heart beating
wildly. Luz finally doubles over, sobbing. Eda and Amity
try to comfort her, the rest watching with astonishment.
After a few moments of convulsing, Belos' episode subsides
and he is human once again. Panting with exhaustion, he
takes his quill back up and resumes writing.
BELOS (cont'd)
*pant* But still...*pant* Something
must be done...I cannot wait each
year for the Day of Unity. I must
find a means of creating an
artificial magic differential...
And I lament the fact that I have
lost the means. My portal to the
human realm...I do not recall its
location, long ago forsaking it.
Belos appears outside the observatory, but all that's left
of it is a huge crater in the ground and a trail of giant,
chicken-like footprints leading off into the wilderness. It
seems that it grew legs and walked away...
BELOS (V.O.)
My mentor, the Observer, was also
nowhere to be found when I came to
call. She must have fled in the
turmoil of our revolution...
But there may yet be hope...My
scouts report that a wild witch
calling herself "The Owl Lady" has
taken to peddling human trinkets.
She barters in quantities which
suggest that she must be using the
portal door to obtain them.
The streets of Bonesborough are lined with her wanted
posters.
I have put forth every effort to
capture her...alive.
The scene shifts back to the Emperor's scriptorium, with
him concluding another entry.
BELOS (V.O.) (cont'd)
Diary of Philip Wittebane. Final
Entry. I now hear this Owl Lady has
taken an apprentice...a human
apprentice...Now I know she is in
possession of the portal without a
doubt.
I must now make haste with my plans,
for the next Day of Unity is fast
approaching. I want her to be there
to witness my triumph...
The shadowy effigy of Belos turns to face the fourth wall,
his gaze seeming to rake over the audience watching the
projection.
BELOS (V.O.) (cont'd)
(chilling)
Won't you join me, Luz?
Luz's eyes widen in shock. Suddenly, the projection
flickers and halts, the echo mouse seized by convulsions.
LUZ
Wha-? What's going on?! You okay,
little buddy?-AAH!
Electricity arcs around the poor mouse as it squeals in
pain. It rapidly grows and mutates, expanding to fill the
room. All gathered dash for cover as it bursts out of the
living room wall.
What was formerly the echo mouse is now a twenty-foot-tall
monster, shrieking at the moon. It twists its head around
scanning its surroundings. It sees the world in shades of
ghoulish green, the form of Luz surrounded in glowing hues
as its eyes settle on her.
The creature lumbers toward her but is blocked by Eda in
harpy form.
EDA
It's after Luz! Don't let it take
her!
Her friends all leap into action, creating a defensive wall
around her. The monster charges into their formation,
tripped over by a field of thorny vines cast by Willow. It
gnaws through the vines, almost breaking free, but its
bonds are reinforced by Amity's abomination clay. Hooty
intervenes as well, wrapping himself around its legs.
The creature struggles even more desperately, finally
wriggling free and charging at Luz again. Eda tries to
distract it by dive-bombing it and clawing at its eye-
sockets. Meanwhile, Lilith lobs explosive potions at the
creature from the ground, growing frustrated with its lack
of efficacy.
LILITH
(tossing the
potions aside)
*groan* This isn't working! There's
got to be more I can do than this!
She looks on Eda's harpy form with just a tinge of envy.
LILITH (cont'd)
(determined)
Come now, Lilith. If Eda can do it,
so can you!
She musters her strength and willpower, sprouting feathers
across her body.
Meanwhile, the mouse seems undeterred by Eda's attacks and
knocks her from the sky with a swipe of its tail. It then
redoubles its pursuit. Only now, instead of a single Luz to
chase, the beast is confronted with a swarm of Luz clones
all dancing across the lawn, all cast by Gus.
LUZ CLONES
Yoohoo! Over here!
Can't catch me!
Nya, nyah!
The monster blinks confusedly but is ultimately not
deceived. In its green-hued view of the world, none of
these illusions are surrounded by a glowing aura. It turns
its attention to the edge of the clearing where the real
Luz is attempting to sneak away with her invisibility
glyph.
The mouse dashes straight for her, but before it can reach
her she is swept off her feet by a winged savior.
LUZ
Whoa! Harpy Lilith?!
LILITH
We have to get you away from here!
Before they get far, the echo mouse regurgitates a ball of
sludge from its mouth which gums up Lilith's wings and
makes her crash land at the top of the Owl House's tower.
They tumble across the stone floor, knocked unconscious.
The monster then tries to scale the side of the tower but
is dragged off by Sir William, yanking its tail with his
magical giant strength. He continues to box and wrestle
with the beast, churning the earth around the lawn in a
titanic struggle.
Joining him, Luz's friends all bombard the mouse with a
hail of magical attacks. Fireballs, thorn-whips,
abomination clay missiles, light beams, voice blasts,
anything they can throw at it.
Finally losing its patience, the mouse raises its muzzle to
the sky and emits an ear-splitting screech. The combatants
all double over, trying to shield their ears from the
deafening noise. Just when the sound seems to subside,
their senses are then overwhelmed by the contents of
Philip's Diary, being magically overloaded into their
brains.
With its attackers paralyzed by its sensory overload spell,
the mouse is left to scale the tower unimpeded. Luz rouses
just enough to see the echo mouse seize her in its claws
and carry her off into the forest.
EDA
LUZ! NO!
A few moments later, the sensory overload spell fades. The
defenders all stagger to their feet, looking with despair
at the trail of felled trees leading off to Belos' castle
in the distance...
TO BE
CONTINUED...
